-DATE-
19630702
-YEAR-
1963
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA PRENSA LATINA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19630703
-TEXT-
Further Statements
Havana PRENSA LATINA in Spanish to Latin America 1418 GMT 1 July 1963--E
(OFFICIAL USE ONLY)

(Excerpts) The Prime Minister said that the Cuban workers now must think
about the Cuban economy in terms of the new society. He described the past
as "abstract arithmetic" in relation to the Cuban worker, while the current
moment demands "concrete arithmetic." You cannot in any way," he stressed,
"separate your interests as a working class from your interests as a
leading class and the rulers of the country--a class that owns the
country's wealth. Yesterday's arithmetic was the arithmetic of a class
exploited and subjugated to the arithmetic of the dominant and exploiting
class."

The Prime Minister then specified that not only in this sector but in all
other sectors "we must know how to organize production adequately on
socialist foundations and on revolutionary bases." Organization will make
possible a more effective control over work and will aid in the solution of
some complex situations, such as the difference in revenue between one
workman working for himself and a wage-earner. As an example, he cited the
cases of taxi and truck drivers working for state companies, and the
charcoal makers (caboneos). He pointed out that for several reasons,
workers working for themselves had increased their revenue considerably
after the triumph of the revolution. The major reasons for this have been
the population's greater purchasing power and the higher fees the workers
collected for their services. The Prime Minister then compared their
situation to that of the wage-earners doing similar work who sometimes feel
discouraged when they see the growing profits of the others.

Fidel then spoke about the difficulties the revolution has encountered in
connection with the population's supply and demand. He asserted that these
problems have not been very great. "Here we have not really had large in
insoluble problems. We can save ourselves great difficulties in the future.
We have splendid opportunities to resolve our problems. Results are
beginning to show, despite the tremendous drought we have experienced and
the big problems of disorganization." The Prime Minister explained how many
problems can be solved through more dedication and effort. He cited as
examples the Dutch livestock industry. Despite adverse natural conditions
in several areas, dairy products have been developed to high levels in the
Netherlands. Castro then lauded the work done by the professors and
students of the central university of Las Villas. They have given special
attention to agriculture and are thus cooperating outstandingly, even
surpassing the efforts of technicians in that field of economy.

Castro reiterated that the nation's future rests in the hands of the youth,
and that they should become aware of the country's needs and prepare
themselves accordingly to resolve them in the near future. In this
connection, he criticized excessive interest in career studies that do not
produce material benefits for the nation, while courses that help to
develop technicians which Cuba needs so much are being neglected. He
admonished youth to take up careers linked to chemistry, inasmuch as this
is the science which holds promise in the development of sugarcane
byproducts.
-END-